If you missed last night’s Sour Beer & Vegetarian Nonsense Dinner, you can catch up (or relive it) here, thanks to My Life On Craft‘s Mary Izett who was live blogging through the meal (all photos/commentary from My Life On Craft).
Course 1: Zucchini Carpaccio with walnut and lemon zest, paired with the Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse = lovely! Summer on a plate with the 1908 providing a wonderful lemon tartness between bites. Brings me back to long summer nights in rocking chairs on the front porch of a lakeside lodge in the North Georgia Mountains.
Course 2: Chilled almond and yellow pepper soup, paired with De Dolle Special Extra Export Stout. Late summer in my Grandma’s garden, a peaceful place I haven’t thought about in years. And a place I would have loved to sip this stout in.
Course 3: Skillet corn omelet with Grafton Clothbound cheese, paired with Vapeur Cochonnette. Caramelized sweet corn with earthy cheddar – a perfect omelet. The tarragon on top melds beautifully with the beer, reminding me of the best salted licorice. All in all, a divine combination. Sitting at a sidewalk cafe on a cobbled street in a city where you can feel every century.
Course 4: Farmhouse gnocchi with greens and whipped ricotta, paired with Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2011 blend 2. Comforting and challenging at the same time. Like a weekend hike on the Appalachian Trail – beautiful yet leaves you a little out of breath.
Final Course: Tomato-chili panna cotta with basil oil, paired with Hanssens Oude Gueuze. Whoa – unexpectedly perfect pairing. The freshness of the tomatoes, creaminess of the panna cotta and spicy ending is an amazing match to the petrol sourness of the Gueuze. The mint tops it off. I’m in love.
And very full. This has been one of the best beer pairing dinners I’ve been to. Full of exciting flavors and palate surprises that evoked many good feelings. Lovely. Good night and happy sensory adventures!